


A Question

by lolahardy



Series: From Dark to Light [28]
Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Stripper/Exotic Dancer, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Strippers & Strip Clubs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-07 17:28:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16858252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lolahardy/pseuds/lolahardy
Summary: This wasn't what Arthur was expecting.





	A Question

Arthur huffed as he reached into the dryer and took out armloads of freshly cleaned laundry and then dropped it into the basket right below the mouth of the dryer. It was hot but everything smelled good and he was pleased that it was the last round of laundry, he was done for the day and now all he had to do was fold it and put it away. 

 

He reached in and gave a quick look around to make sure nothing was left behind before he picked up the basket and carried it to the bedroom. He settled it down on the newly made bed and began to fold everything and as he did, he stopped to check his cell phone and see what time it was. 

 

Still early. He had time to finish and then start dinner. Eames wouldn’t be home for a while still.

 

As he gathered an armload of socks, he went over to the dresser where Eames kept his things and yanked open a drawer, now mostly empty and dropped in the load. He began to arrange them so everything was now neat and as he did, his hand bumped into something in the top corner of the drawer. He looked at it, seeing it was a stray pair of socks and he grabbed it to put it with the others but when he did, he felt something hard inside the rolled up pair. He thought it odd and as he unfolded it, he heard whatever it was, drop down to the carpet with a dull and soft thud right near his foot. Arthur thought it was weird that Eames would hide something in his sock drawer and he looked down to find it and put it back but then he lost sight of it. He sighed to himself and knelt down, looking around the dresser and then leaning down to look underneath to see if it was there. Not that he knew what he was looking for. 

 

Finally, near the leg of the dresser, he found an unfamiliar object and grabbed it and then sat up to look at it and much to his shock, he saw it was a velvet box. He knew what that box was holding, but still, to confirm, he slowly opened it and saw a band inside. 

 

He stared at it for just a moment, but it felt like he was there for hours and suddenly, nausea hit him. He got up fast and left the box on the dresser as he ran to the bathroom and immediately threw up. 

 

As he caught his breath and sat down and leaned against the wall, he wondered what kind of reaction that was. He was happy with Eames, he had been for a couple of years now. He showed him a good life, a lot of love and patience and kindness. Arthur felt the same way but now, facing the idea of being proposed to, Arthur felt sick to his stomach. Why would Eames want to marry him? He had nothing to offer but culinary skills and a great ass. 

 

Thinking about it only made his nauseas again, so after he threw up again, he got to his feet and rinsed his mouth out. He slowly went back to the bedroom and saw the box where he had hastily tossed it before he threw up. Not wanting to look at it another second, he wrapped it back up in the same pair of socks and stuffed it right back in its original corner. He continued stuffing more socks there, as if burying it under fresh laundry would make the idea go away. 

He was already starting dinner when he heard Eames come in and he looked over his shoulder as he paused in chopping vegetables, expecting to see him but instead, he seem to be doing something else. Arthur wondered for a moment what he was doing and then he wondered if maybe he wasn’t home yet and he heard things, but then Eames popped in, smile on his face as he went over to Arthur to say hello. He kissed his cheek and smiled.

 

“Good evening, my love. I missed you.”

 

He held onto Arthur and Arthur tried to smile, as if he hadn’t spent his whole day worrying about the ring he accidently found, then throwing up, then working himself into knots wondering when Eames would ask and wondering how he’d react. He feared he’d just throw up again and if that wasn’t an awful sign, he wasn’t sure what was.

 

“Hey. How was your day?”

 

“It was good. The usual. You okay? You seem off.”

 

“Do I?”

 

Eames moved back to look at him and Arthur tried to cover, smiling a little. Eames only gave him a strange look.

 

“Are you upset with me?”

 

“No, not at all!”

 

“Okay.” Eames looked as if he didn’t believe him.

 

“Uh, I got caught up at the gym so dinner is going to be a little late. You can relax if you want.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Eames nodded and went ahead to his office.

 

While they had dinner, Eames looked at Arthur, worried, wondering what was going on in his mind. Arthur remained quiet and distant, though he tried to seem like he was fine. After they ate, Arthur cleared the dishes and he tried not think about it so much. He was worrying Eames and he knew that if he didn’t stop, he’d have to tell him what was on his mind and he couldn’t even think of a cover. 

 

When they went to bed that night, Arthur found himself finally forgetting about that afternoon. Eames always had that ability, to distract him, to comfort him, to make him feel better about anything and that included that afternoon. Eames kissed him and Arthur felt that knot in his stomach go away. He felt his shoulders relax, he felt his anxiety dissolve and he felt so much better as Eames kissed him and touched him and gradually laid on top of him. 

 

Arthur almost drifted off to sleep afterwards. He felt Eames spooning from him from behind after they cleaned up, his arm heavy but comfortable over his side. Arthur smiled, his eyes closing until he heard,

 

“I’m glad your weirdness didn’t carry into the bedroom.”

 

Arthur turned his head a bit to look at Eames better.

 

“My weirdness?”

 

“Yeah, when I got home. You were being different.”

 

“Oh...yeah. I don’t know. I’m okay though, really.”

 

“Good. I was worried I did something.”

 

Arthur chuckled to himself.

 

“No, for once, you’re fine.”

 

“You shit.”

 

He felt Eames give him a squeeze and Arthur laughed. 

 

“I love you, you know.”

 

“I love you too.”

 

Arthur kissed him and he felt good. He wasn’t sure why he was turning himself in knots so much, why he was so worried about Eames possibly proposing. He loved Eames, he did. He just worried that he wouldn’t be able to make him happy, he worried that he had nothing to offer him and he felt he came up short a lot of the times, but Eames still loved him. 

 

When Eames moved back to look at him, he swept his fingers over his forehead, pushing back a stray lock of hair, a small smile spreading on his face. Arthur couldn’t help but smile back.

 

“What?”

 

“Just thinking.”

 

“About?”

 

Eames turned suddenly then, laying on his back and reaching for something on the floor. At least he thought it was the floor, a jostle of the bed let Arthur know Eames was reaching for something between the mattress and box spring. He turned back then and opened something, presenting it to Arthur. 

 

It was a velvet box, a red one this time. And a completely different ring from the one Arthur had found earlier. This one was silver, tiny little diamonds embedded along the band, tastefully apart from each other. Arthur felt himself staring at the ring for what felt like hours, his mouth hanging open as he felt everything stopped. 

 

“Arthur...will you marry me?”

 

Arthur swallowed hard and he couldn’t find his voice. He could only stare at that ring.

 

“So? Will you?”

**Author's Note:**

> I know it's been a really, really long time that I've updated this series, but here it is!  
> If it generates enough interest though, I'll write another part. Right now, this was all I could get out.


End file.
